His head filled with tales of chivalry, instead he is branded a thief, and must make do with being squire to his childhood friend Sir Robert, a knight determined to make a name for himself as a man at arms in France. While William himself slowly acquires the skills of knightly combat, he remains an outsider - until the Battle of Poitiers when Sir Robert is cut down by the greatest knight of the age, Sir Geoffry de Charny, and William, his lowly squire, revenges him. But with his own knight dead, no honour acrrues to William for this feat of arms, and he is forced to become a mercenary. Scavenging a mis-matched set of armour from the knightly corpses, he joins one of the mercenary companies now set to pillage a defenceless France, and so begins a bloody career that sees William joining forces with the infamous Sir John Hawkwood and immersing himself in a treacherous clandestine war among the Italian city states. But paradoxically it is there, among the spies, assassins and hired killers serving their ruthless masters, that William finally discovers the true meaning of chivalry - and his destiny as a knight.

    – As the premier commander for Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, when he commandeered the throne from a young Edward III, Sir Mathias de Reyne is the type of knight that all men aspire to be; fair, powerful, intelligent, and bold. Men on both sides of the Mortimer/Edward lines respect and admire de Reyne for his outstanding character, including Dragonblade himself, Tate de Lara. Before the war separated men into two groups – those that supported Mortimer and those that supported the rightful king – Mathias, Tate, Kenneth St. Hever and Stephen of Pembury were inseparable friends. But then, sides were chose and lines were drawn. When Roger Mortimer lost his head, Mathias de Reyne was spared because of his great and fair reputation. Stripped of his lands and titles, however, he was forced into obscurity. He became known in legend as The Fallen One.More than a year after being stripped of his knighthood, Mathias now makes his living as a blacksmith in the north Cumbrian town of Brampton. One morning, he hears cries for help and, being an innately brave and helpful man, follows the cries and comes upon a terrible scene. Rescuing a young woman from a fiend, he very quickly realizes that the young woman is the most beautiful he has ever lain eyes upon. The Lady Cathlina de Lara is a lush beauty with dark hair and flashing dark eyes, and the attraction between the pair is immediate. But she is also a de Lara, related to the man who took Mathias’ titles from him… his former best friend.Still, he cannot forget the dark-eyed beauty and soon finds himself swept up in a wildly passionate love affair, breaking his promise to never bear arms again by resuming his knighthood without the permission of the king and fleeing to Scotland. From the brutal Scots borderlands to the fields of Dupplin Moor and a historic battle, join Mathias and Cathlina as their journey in life takes them on a passionate adventure of love, life, learning, and the redemption of the man once known as The Fallen One.

    It is a battle that will change the history of warfare, a battle that will change the course of Blackstone's life, a battle that is just the first chapter in a book of legend - Blackstone: Master of War.

    A house descended from the kings of Cornwall, they are a proud but warring people. Their most hated enemy is their neighbor to the north, the rich and cunning Earl of Cornwall. Dennis, however, is not like his forefathers; a giant of a man and a skilled warrior, he is also quiet and gentle. He does not possess the same fiery instincts of his family and for that, he is often looked upon as weak.But Dennis is anything but weak; he is brilliant and introspective. He knows what it takes to achieve real peace. When his father is killed, he sends an offer of marriage to the Cornwall to cement a peaceful alliance between the two warring neighbors. Dennis is trustworthy; the earl is not. Little does Dennis realize that his offer to marry a woman of the earl's choosing will change his life more drastically than he could ever imagine, and put the House of d'Vant in danger of being wiped from the face of the earth.The Lady Ryan de Bretagne is the daughter of the earl's captain. Having no daughters himself, the earl chooses Ryan to marry into the hated House of d'Vant. Ryan is a feisty, head-strong woman and wants no part of the marriage, but is forced to wed the giant knight with the mysterious gray eyes. When he takes her back to St. Austell Castle, she is introduced to a shocking new world of women who dress and fight as knights, of filthy keeps and filthy men, and of a people who want to hate her simply because she is related to the Earl of Cornwall. As Ryan struggles to become acclimated to her strange and frightening new world, the Earl of Cornwall works in secret to destroy the treaty he has agreed to fulfill, thereby eliminating the House of d'Vant once and for all so he can confiscate their lands. At the heart of all of the earl's animosity is a terrible secret that binds Cornwall to the House of d'Vant, something so awful that it cannot be spoken of. But those who know the secret know how very shameful it is to both sides.Join Dennis and Ryan as they face one crisis after another, from pirates that lay siege to St. Austell Castle, of dark family secrets, and to wars in Wales when Dennis is forced to fight for the king in order to save his beloved castle. But no obstacles are too much for Dennis and Ryan to overcome because beneath the hatred and deceit, murder and lies, a love stronger than life itself binds them together even as their two worlds try to tear them apart.

    Masterminding this brutal strategy is the knight they call the Black Angel. Brandt de Russe, Duke of Exeter, is the brains behind the prince’s war machine, a mountain of a man who is as cunning as he is frightening. In battle, no man is his equal.The Lady Ellowyn de Nerra, granddaughter of the great mercenary Braxton de Nerra, has been sent to London by her crippled father to collect the men he has donated to the Black Prince’s wars in France. De Nerra men are mingled with the Duke of Exeter’s men and Ellowyn is at the dock when the duke disembarks his ships. In her attempt to introduce herself to Brandt and explain her purpose, the duke has little time for the beautiful young woman and mistakes her for a whore. Grossly insulted, Ellowyn threatens the man that all sane men fear. And so begins the fiery, passionate, and deep love story that transcends families, kings, and two continents, building to the Battle of Poitiers where Brandt is on the front lines. In battle, no man is his equal but even the most powerful of men are prisoners of their own hearts.

    - Sir Roane de Garr is a member of St. John the Baptist Hospitaller sect and while visiting the supposed Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, he is hit by a freak bolt of lightning and suddenly finds himself with miraculous healing powers. The Hospitallers believe he is a heretic and must be destroyed, so he flees back to England and into seclusion as a bounty is put on his head. Enter Lady Alisanne de Soulant, a young lady who is losing her sight to a disease of the eyes. Forced by bounty hunters hired by the Hospitallers to lure Roane out of hiding, she finds herself torn between saving Roane’s life and the life of her father, whom the bounty hunters hold hostage in order to insure her cooperation. After she helps the bounty hunters capture Roane, she helps him escape, only to find herself captured and punished by the bountymen. Those who seek to collect a price on Roane’s head realize he is in love with the woman they used as bait and they use her again to lure him back out of hiding. Roane is given the choice between saving Alisanne or her father, knowing whoever he does not rescue first will surely die at the hands of the evil bounty hunters. Clearly Roane’s heart is with Alisanne, but he fears she will resent him for leaving her elderly father at the mercy of the bountymen. Of course, he’s being sought by the bountymen too and must evade capture even as he attempts to rescue the other two. Only Roane’s cunning and intelligence can save all three of them, but in a nasty twist of fate, he ends up the bountymen's quarry. When Alisanne and her father attempt to save him, Alisanne's father is captured as well. Hope seems lost. With both of the men she loves captured, now it is up to Alisanne with her failing sight to save them both from the executioner's sword. Can she find the help she needs, and the courage deep within her, before it's too late? Bonus Material at the end: Five chapter excerpt of SINFUL FOLK by Ned Hayes

    John for over seventy years. The feud has seen Eden Castle, home to the St. John’s, grow stronger while Castle Winding Cross, lair of the de Gare clan, suffers. Furthermore, the House of St. John has bred the most fearsome warrior in the north of England, a powerful knight known throughout the land as the Demon of Eden. Christian St. John is the culmination of decades of fine breeding and training, a master of the knighthood. When Christian launches what he hopes will be the final attack against Winding Cross to end the long-running feud once and for all, the de Gares are cunning enough to avoid complete destruction. Furious, Christian’s father orders his son to breach the sanctity of the convent where the de Gare heiress has been hiding. The Demon is able to violate the convent and capture his quarry, but not without a fight. The Lady Gaithlin de Gare does not go easily with the Demon. A big woman with long legs and long blond hair, she too has long been taught to hate the House of St. John. Christian escapes to the north with his combative captive and it is a long-running battle that takes them well into Scotland where Christian will hold the woman, demanding the complete surrender of her family’s home in exchange for her life. Gaithlin doesn't make Christian’s life easy at first; she fights him furiously, unwilling to be a submissive prisoner. But the more times that passes, the more she comes to ease her combative stance and realize that Christian St. John is no ordinary knight; beneath the terrible reputation lurks the heart and soul of a poet. The more she comes to know that side to him, and his secret desire for peace, the more her defenses go down. The Demon is not at all what she had been told; he is a man of intelligence and wit, with a beautiful gift for prose. The warrior is indeed a true warrior-poet in every sense of the word. A man of peace lurks beyond the fearsome façade. Join Christian and Gaithlin as they succumb to searing passion, torn between loyalties and long-standing hatred. As their families turn against them and Christian must face his warring family and answer for his crime of falling in love with the enemy, help and understanding come from the most unexpected of places. From the green forests of Cumbria to the wilds of Galloway, share Christian and Gaithlin’s adventures of murder, betrayal, love, understanding, and of new beginnings.

    . .Dispossessed of her lands by the marauding Norsemen, Brienne Beaumanior is brought from cloister by royal decree and offered as a bride to her enemy.A golden warrior of the North . . .Sent to escort his father’s promised bride to the Barony of Valsemé, Rurik Atlison finds himself entranced by the dark-haired beauty and his passions set aflame.Love unexpected, bringing peril to all . . .Tormented by their desires, Rurik and Brienne resist giving in to their yearnings and endangering their people.But destiny will not be denied . . .Their love will burn brightly through all the ages to come as Norse and Frank meld into a new people — the Normans.The Defiant HeartA maiden of Ireland enslaved . . .Seized during a brutal attack on her homeland, Ailinn vows to remain forever defiant against her Norse captors, no matter the future that awaits her — or the handsome Dane with snow-bright hair who suddenly appears in her life.A shining warrior of the North . . .When Lyting Atlison encounters the autumn-fire beauty in shackles, he vows to free her. Discovering the fate his kinsmen intend for the maid, he undertakes a private mission in order to join the fleet that will bear her to distant lands.Now as the Norse host sets sail for the lands of the Rus and the glittering courts of Byzantium, untold perils await . . . as does a journey of passion and discovery . . . and a love no chains can bind.The Captive HeartA maiden of Normandy, mistakenly abducted . . .Kidnapped from the ducal palace of Rouen, Ailénor quickly realizes her captors’ mistake and the peril that yet threatens her mother. As the ruffians smuggle her aboard ship, bound and gagged, and set forth for Ireland, she is desperate to escape . . . unaware her champion is near at hand.A Saxon lord on a secret mission for his king . . .No sooner does Garreth of Tamworth arrive in Normandy than he encounters the entrancing scarlet-haired maiden who literally knocks him off his feet. But their stolen moments and budding passions end abruptly when his audience with the Duke concludes badly. As he departs Rouen, little does he realize that the beautiful Ailénor lies hidden aboard, just beneath his feet.Now only he can save her from family enemies returned from long past, seeking revenge . . .Yet amid the darkest danger, their all-consuming love is forged . . .

    But the real Eleanor remains elusive.This stunning novel introduces an Eleanor that all other writers have missed. Based on the most up-to-date research, it is the first novel to show Eleanor beginning her married life at 13. Overflowing with scandal, passion, triumph and tragedy, Eleanor's legendary story begins when her beloved father dies in the summer of 1137, and she is made to marry the young prince Louis of France. A week after the marriage she becomes a queen and her life will change beyond recognition . . .

    Left to raise their daughter alone, Rowan fully intends to keep the promises he made to Kate on her deathbed - save for one. He will not give his heart to another woman. She will bring them tumbling down... Lady Arline has been unlucky in love and in marriage. Her first husband was old enough to be her great grandfather and her last was simply cruel. Once her marriage to Garrick Blackthorn is annulled, Lady Arline is determined to live the rest of her life in peace and harmony. And she’ll live out her days alone. Fate has another plan.... When his daughter is kidnapped and held for ransom by Garrick Blackthorn, Rowan calls on the bond of the seven clans to help rescue his daughter. Little does he know that his enemy’s wife has been caring for his child, risking her own life in the process. Lady Arline does not realize the kidnapped child belongs to the man from her past, a man who has invaded her dreams for years, until the night he comes for his daughter... Fate brings them together - but men might just pull them apart.

    Fearing he plans to kill her, she flees during a trip to England. Unable to make her way home, she joins a troupe of traveling mummers and reinvents herself as the only woman troubadour in the land, captivating audiences with both song and story. Nobleman Garrett Montayne’s fascination with Madeleine causes him to pay the troupe to bypass their next stop in order to journey to his estate. Though he suspects Madeleine of being a thief with dark secrets, love blossoms between them under the magical moon of summer solstice.But Madeleine’s past is about to catch up with her, as her husband is set to arrive to conduct business with Garrett. Madeleine determines to free herself from her loveless marriage and make a new life with Garrett, no matter what the cost.

    King Arthur and the last of the Romans have long gone but King Urien fights on. When three orphans join his warriors then the tide begins to turn and, despite, overwhelming odds they begin to defeat the Saxon hordes. Based on the history of the period Saxon Dawn is a fast moving story with graphic battles scenes as well complex characters and devious plot twists.

    England lies uneasy, a land without a king. Richard the Lionheart is feared drowned on his return from Crusade, his brother John conspires to usurp the crown.On the throne, in the Lionheart's stead, sits Eleanor of Aquitaine. At seventy, Eleanor is the most powerful woman in Christendom and as mother to both Richard and John she is determined to prevent the outbreak of civil war. But amid the royal court at the Tower of London, treachery is endemic and there are few men she can trust.Justin de Quincy is one of the few. The bastard-born son of the Bishop of Chester, Justin has neither noble blood nor fortune - but he is blessed with a sharp mind and unshakeable loyalty. Gifts that will make him an agent of the Queen, taking him to the very centre of power - and into the heart of danger.THE QUEEN'S MAN, CRUEL AS THE GRAVE and DRAGON'S LAIR see Justin moving from bustling streets of Winchester to the to the alehouses and stews of Southwark, from the horrors of Newgate Gaol to the mountains of Wales. He will prove his mettle - or find an early grave - as he uncovers the dark intrigues of Eleanor's court.

    His travels bring him to Chesterfield, where he finds work erecting the spire of the new church. But no sooner does he begin, than the master carpenter is murdered and John himself becomes a suspect. To prove his innocence John must help the coroner in his search for the killer, a quest that brings him up against some powerful enemies in a town where he is still a stranger and friends are few. Chris Nickson brilliantly evokes the feeling of time and place in this story of corruption and murder.

    Betrayed by lies told before her birth, Aishlinn is raised by a harsh and cruel stepfather. Her life is forever changed one horrifying night when she is forced to flee England for the safety of the Scottish Highlands. Rescued by a fierce band of highland warriors, Aishlinn soon learns that honorable men do exist. She finds a strength she never knew she possessed and it will be tested to the limits when she is forced to make a heart-wrenching decision… allow the English to kill those she loves, or surrender for the crime she committed. She is everything he never knew he wanted in a woman…. As a fierce highland warrior, Duncan McEwan has survived numerous battles, bed countless women, and survived a horrific storm at sea. He has scaled mountains and even survived hand-to-claw battle with a cat-o’mountain. But none of that could have prepared him for how his life forever changed one fateful spring day when he rescued a lass from a freezing stream. He will do anything to keep her as his own and will risk everything to keep her out of the hands of the English. Findley's Lass (Clan MacDougall #2) She had won his heart without trying… and he can only pray for the chance to give her his. When Findley McKenna returns after his battle with the English to offer Maggy Boyle a home amongst his clan, he finds only death and destruction instead of the young widow who has stolen his heart. The only thing left of her home is the burned out hut and decaying bodies of the auld people Maggy has taken care of for the past three years. With only a prayer, his Highlander heart, and a bit of bloodied plaid to cling to, Findley will crawl through hell if he must, in order to find Maggy and her sons and avenge the massacre before him. She had won his heart without trying, and he can only pray for the chance to give her his. How can she place her trust or her heart in the hands of a man she barely knows and maintain her freedom and keep her secrets hidden? Maggy has secrets, and her own hell to crawl through, before she can give her trust or heart to any man. Fearful that the uncle of her late husband will force her into a marriage with another cold and vindictive man, she goes into hiding to keep her true identity secret and her adopted sons together. After her home is destroyed and her young son kidnapped, those secrets begin to unravel, one agonizing thread at a time. How can she place her trust or her heart in the hands of a man she barely knows and still maintain her freedom and keep her secrets hidden? Findley McKenna is her last vestige of hope at keeping both. Wee William's Woman (Clan MacDougall #3) They call him Wee William. Though he stands nearly seven feet tall, with arms and legs the size of tree trunks and hands as big as buckets, there is nothing wee about him. His scowl alone is enough to make most men's bones rattle with fear. And women, rather than swooning, tend to run in the opposite direction. The giant Highlander is a self-proclaimed bachelor who has sworn for years that there isn't a woman in all of Scotland worth shaving his beard for, and for good reason. Years ago, after a bonny young lass broke his heart and left his dignity in shreds, he swore never again to put it in such peril. As a testament to his sincerity, he vowed never again to shave his beard. Then he met her. In a single heartbeat, Wee William was lost. Forever lost to a brown-haired beauty with gray-blue eyes brimming with tears - a woman in need.

    Between these epochal events, many of the contours and patterns of English life that would endure for the next millennium were shaped. In this authoritative work, N. J. Higham and M. J. Ryan reexamine Anglo-Saxon England in the light of new research in disciplines as wide ranging as historical genetics, paleobotany, archaeology, literary studies, art history, and numismatics. The result is the definitive introduction to the Anglo-Saxon world, enhanced with a rich array of photographs, maps, genealogies, and other illustrations. The Anglo-Saxon period witnessed the birth of the English people, the establishment of Christianity, and the development of the English language. With an extraordinary cast of characters (Alfred the Great, the Venerable Bede, King Cnut), a long list of artistic and cultural achievements (Beowulf, the Sutton Hoo ship-burial finds, the Bayeux Tapestry), and multiple dramatic events (the Viking invasions, the Battle of Hastings), the Anglo-Saxon era lays legitimate claim to having been one of the most important in Western history.

    In an adventure reminiscent of the Christian life, one girl struggles to find her way out of the dungeon, beyond the perils of the journey, to the Kingdom that awaits.This short story, written as an allegory, includes six short chapters, with discussion questions for each section, suitable for group or individual use.

    No one will stop him not her father, his king or the lady herself. The Warrior's Maiden: A baron and his daughters are dead, slaughtered on the king's road, when the sheriff should have kept the peace. Can his ungainly daughter solve the mystery of their deaths before the baron's grieving widow and his bastard son wreak vengeance on her father, the man they hold responsible? The Warrior's Game One knight's widow trapped at court and longing for home, one common-born knight determined to marry her. Add a king who enjoys turning his subjects into pawns and let the game begin.

     In Fourteenth Century England, landless knights are forced to obey the ruthless monarch without question. Sir Andrew Brandham, knight of the Realm and captain of the Elite Guard of Ragnorsen Keep is called to do just that. When his best friend, Sir Erik Ragnorsen is commanded to nullify his marriage to the beautiful Rhianna Du Montefort because they have yet to produce an heir, Sir Andrew accompanies him to do battle with the will of the king. Erik is being forced to marry the daughter of a Scottish Laird in order to form a tenuous Peace between the Highlanders and England. The idea of divorcing his beloved wife to marry a loathsome Scot is beyond Erik’s vow of obedience and honor. He is imprisoned for his impulsive disobedience and Drew is left to form a scheme to save his friend. When he sees the Scottish lass who has been chosen for Sir Erik, he is instantly drawn to her and while his plan unfolds to aid Erik, Drew forms a friendship with Bronwyn, daughter of the Laird and High Chief of the Clan MacCollum. Bronwyn MacCollum was raised in the Highlands, where the past is steeped in traditions of the “Old Ways”. A long time ago, Bronwyn had a vision of her intended, but realizing he was an Englishman, she vowed to change her destiny. The English were always the enemies of her people and she would not bring danger to her beloved clan. Only, she becomes a pawn in the sadistic game of the King of England and Robert the Bruce and is being forced to marry an English knight after all. Upon seeing the man she is betrothed to, she knew her vision had been false because he looked nothing like the man who had invaded her dreams since childhood. With vehement disregard for the king’s decree, she declares her hatred for Sir Erik Ragnorsen and would rather risk war than to marry him. Only, when she meets Sir Erik’s personal guard, Bronwyn realizes that sometimes you cannot fight what is destined from the start. Sir Andrew Brandham was familiar; more than familiar. He was the man of her visions and nothing she could do could make her deny it. Bronwyn and Drew are filled with distrust and betrayal seeps into both of their hearts. They suffer through many storms that batter their hearts and souls like rocks at the edge of the tempestuous sea. Can their love survive the lies and heartache they are each guilty of? Can Bronwyn escape the Destiny and the pull of the Old Ways and create a path without Drew or will love help them both to embrace the course Destiny has chosen?

    He watched his father ascend the ranks within the academy to become one of the most respected warriors in the kingdom. The only thing he has ever wanted is to become an academy student and follow the path of his father. Unfortunately, only the best can enter the academy and Justan is a horrible fighter. Everyone tells him that he is more suited to scholarly work than swordplay. In desperation he hurls himself into training, eager to overcome the doubters and walk into the academy triumphant, unaware that secretive powers plot to disrupt his plans. Meanwhile, an evil wizard of immense power is using magic to twist the bodies of the creatures of the land and transform them into monsters. With these creatures and the peoples of the wilds, he is building an army . . . Ogres and dragons, warriors and wizards are destined to clash, their fates guided by The Bowl of Souls.

    On the misty island where she's held captive, Molly longs for a hero brave enough to rescue her. Hidden Heiress : Elspeth can recall nothing of her past. Her lonely life of drudgery in Farnsworth Tower is interrupted when a mysterious man seeks refuge at the estate . . . and helps her uncover her true identity. Highland Bride : On her way home to the Highlands, Barbara McRae is kidnapped. A masked swordsman known as the Black Fox comes to her rescue-and leaves her with a kiss that haunts her dreams . . . Reiver's Bride: When reivers swoop down on Lady Anne Ellyson one moonlit night, she discovers that she knows their devilishly handsome leader as a man from her clan-a man who has been declared dead.

    While celebrating his birthday one cold night at a Lowland pub, he meets a bonnie Englishwoman who says she is searching for her father's murderer and thief. And when he recognizes the name of the person she seeks as his own mother, his birthday takes a bad turn. Lady Loveday de Lacy, known as Lovelle, comes looking for not only a murderer from the past, but also something that's been stolen - her mother's Book of Hours. She is desperate to find it, as she needs the help of the mystical charms at the back of the book. But when she meets a rugged Highlander who takes her captive in order to secure his mother's life, she finds herself being reckless, and also attracted to the dangerous man. But things only become more complicated as Lovelle and Onyx find themselves needing each other, but knowing they are enemies. And the more they try to fight off the attraction between them, the stronger it becomes. But neither of them see the harrowing future in store for them as Onyx is faced with demons of his past and there is also an outbreak of the plague that threatens their very lives. Can a proper Englishwoman and a Scottish madman find the strength and will to work together before impending doom overtakes them? (Author's note: Onyx is the brother of the girls from the Daughters of the Dagger Series.) Watch for Aidan - Book 2 in the MadMan MacKeefe Series, coming in Jan/Feb 2014.

    Brother Athelstan accompanies Sir John Cranston, Lady Cranston, and Benedicta to a friendly joust, which turns fatal; they must then determine who tampered with the knights' equipment.

    King Edward III has told him he needs to marry, or lose his lands and title. Corbett's late father made the mistake of marrying a commoner, and because of this, it is up to Corbett to make things right.Now he searches for the perfect lady, but his reputation proceeds him. Three times he has lost future brides to death before they ever reached the altar. Some say he is the messenger of death himself, with his pet raven perched upon his shoulder. But now, he searches for the troubled girl with the green eyes, who calls out to him for help every night in his sleep. Devon has been raised in secret, hidden inside the walls of the monastery for the last eighteen years. Now, the black-hearted Lord of Steepleton has discovered her. She is excited at first when she hears he will be bringing her to the castle, that is, until she realizes he wants her to be nothing more than his servant.Deception and secrets are many within the walls of Blake Castle, but they can't hold a candle to the passion that stirs between Corbett and his servant, Devon - a woman who can destroy everything he is, with the power of just one kiss.

    

    Tensions flare as a plot to overthrow the king is discovered.As the York forces gather to make one last effort to win the throne, will Blanche betray her king and her husband, Giles Beaufort?

    A legend is born in this short-story prequel to Angus Donald's masterly series The Outlaw Chronicles, perfect for devoted fans and newcomers alike.

    This ambitious history tells the fascinating story of the cult of the saints from its origins in the second-century days of the Christian martyrs to the Protestant Reformation. Robert Bartlett examines all of the most important aspects of the saints--including miracles, relics, pilgrimages, shrines, and the saints' role in the calendar, literature, and art.The book explores the central role played by the bodies and body parts of saints, and the special treatment these relics received. From the routes, dangers, and rewards of pilgrimage, to the saints' impact on everyday life, Bartlett's account is an unmatched examination of an important and intriguing part of the religious life of the past--as well as the present.

    The feelings Miss Harriett Ponsonby stirs in him are less than welcome, but when he is left battling for his life, he has no option but to seek the help of the one woman who stirs his soul. The very last thing he wants or needs is to feel any attraction toward the delightfully intriguing Miss Harriett Ponsonby, especially when it appears that her father is involved with the spy smugglers Hugo has been sent to arrest. Torn between his desire for Harriett, and his duties as a member of the Star Elite, decisions don't come more difficult for Hugo when someone tries to take her life, and he finds himself becoming her bodyguard! Can he really send his future father-in-law to jail if he is guilty of spy smuggling? Will his obligation to carry out his orders cost him the hand of the only woman who has ever come close to touching this battle-hardened warrior's heart? Can they identify not only one, but two murderers in time to prevent another death? Book one of the brand new Star Elite series introduces one of England's elite fighting units as they battle to protect England's borders from French spies, murderers, smugglers and thieves while they battle with the demons on the past, and the women who will change their lives forever. Book 2 - Smuggler's Glory released 20th November 2013. Book 3 - His Lady Spy released January 2014.

    This is the true story of Aethelflaed, the ‘Lady of the Mercians’, daughter of Alfred the Great. She was the only female leader of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Born into the royal house of Wessex at the height of the Viking wars, she is sent to her aunt in Mercia as a foster-child, only to return home when the Vikings overrun Mercia. In Wessex, she witnesses another Viking attack and this compounds her fear of the enemy. She falls in love with a Mercian lord but is heartbroken to be given as bride to the ruler of Mercia to seal the alliance between the two Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. She must learn to subjugate her feelings for her first love, overcome her indifference to her husband and win the hearts of the Mercians who despise her as a foreigner and twice make an attempt on her life. When her husband falls ill and is incapacitated, she has to learn to rule and lead an army in his stead. Eventually she must fight to save her adopted Mercia from the Vikings and, ultimately, her own brother.

    The battle to convert the natives is savage and unrelenting and into this holy war is thrust Conrad Wolff, a young native of the city of Lübeck whose family has suffered a terrible injustice. Forced to leave his homeland to seek sanctuary in Livonia, Conrad’s fate is soon entwined with that of the Sword Brothers, the order of warrior monks that fights to defend and expand Christendom in the Baltic. But as Conrad begins his training to become a member of the brethren, the enemies of the Bishop of Riga gather and soon Livonia is surrounded and battling for its very existence. Conrad and the order soon find themselves fighting for their lives as the enemies of the Sword Brothers close in on all sides. This, the first volume in the Crusader Chronicles, tells the story of Conrad Wolff and the Baltic Crusade during the first years of the thirteenth century.

    Nor such a loyal and capable maiden.He rescued her the first time when she was three years old in a killing storm. Years later, he was still occasionally rescuing her. 'Twas in him to be a hero, and she had a pure intrepid way of getting into the kinds of scrapes that took rescuing. With such a brawny, masculine guardian around, 'twould have been a fair pity to waste the gallantry anyway.Their childhood friendship between two young peasants had grown into a devotion few are ever blessed to experience. It was strong enough to withstand all their dark age held—danger, feudalism, disease, and unfair oppression. Or is it strong enough? They truly loved each other desperately.They loved their kingdom more.

    King Edward has no heir and promises never to produce one. There are no obvious successors available to replace him, but quite a few claimants are eager to take the crown. While power struggles break out between the various factions at court, enemies abroad plot to make England their own. There are raids across the borders with Wales and Scotland. Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, is seen by many as the one man who can bring stability to the kingdom. He has powerful friends and two women who love him, but he has enemies who will stop at nothing to gain power. As 1066 begins, England heads for an uncertain future. It seems even the heavens are against Harold. Intelligent and courageous, can Harold forge his own destiny - or does he have to bow to what fates impose?

    She has even slept through a few high masses. Still, this gentle lass never did anything wicked enough to deserve her father’s pronouncement that she must wed the dread Black Duncan, Laird of Clan MacLean.As leader of the Spartans of the North, Duncan MacLean has inspired many a gruesome tale throughout the majestic highlands and beyond. Duncan accepts Laird Cameron’s offer of his daughter’s hand in marriage and pledges to make war against their shared enemy, Clan MacKinnon.Duncan aches to possess his ravishing bride as passionately as he vows never to lower his defenses again. Love blooms between them nonetheless, until betrayal incites a war. Clan MacLean is in danger as are Ailsa and Duncan – but the thing in most peril is their love.Can past enemies become lovers at last? Or will the flame in their hearts be consumed by the fires of war?

    1395–1441) studied fauna and flora in their natural environment and under carefully chosen lighting conditions, and then achieved a breathtaking and convincing realism in his paintings. Each panel is a collection of minuscule details rendered with superb clarity from foreground to background—or at least that is the impression at first glance. As this book reveals, that is precisely where Van Eyck’s exceptional talent lay: He understood that the human brain is able to supplement visual perception where necessary. Here, details from Van Eyck’s paintings are organized by such themes as nature, architecture, daily life, fabrics, glass, jewelry and mirrors, and portraits. Opening with a biographical note and an essay on the technique of oil painting on panel, the authors explain the significance of the individual details and how Van Eyck achieved his innovative artistic results.  With a preface by contemporary painter Luc Tuymans, this book is an unprecedented look at the work of a popular master.

    The world weary warrior has never backed down from a just fight. Providing sufficient coin for the clan seems finally within his grasp. Until, in a collision between his honor and his purse, he is forced to rescue the English King's baseborn daughter at a bear baiting. Burdened by the sins of his profligate past, Titus feels compelled to protect the young innocent girl. The convent raised Mercy is eager to finally meet her royal father. She yearns to earn his love. Mercy is convinced her stark and lonely life can change. There will indeed be dramatic changes in her life, just not the ones she anticipates. Titus needs a wife. His ideal spouse would be a plain and practical woman. Whimsical Mercy is neither. Courtly Love is still a novel concept in Tenth Century England, but Mercy embraces it fully. The famous Scottish knight becomes the focus of her regard. He categorically rejects any idea of romantic love, especially the ridiculous Courtly Love. Opposites in every way Titus and Mercy navigate court intrigue, blood feuds, church assassins, life altering revelations, and annulled marriage vows. Titus the Norseman has never been defeated in a tournament. He has won every challenge issued. Now against almost insurmountable odds, somehow with God's help he must find a way to win 'Mercy's Heart'. ‘Mercy’s Heart‘is the first novel in a new Medieval Inspirational Romance series, 'The ChristKeepers'.

    Unfortunately he’s bossy, overbearing, and...betrothed! Fortunately, he thinks she is his affianced, which keeps her from garderobe duty. Or worse, being hanged as a spy. She knows she has to get back to her own time before his real fiancé shows up and the truth is discovered, but until she finds a way, she’s going to squeeze every bit of enjoyment she can out of this situation. As far as she’s concerned, this is one relationship in which she gets to call the shots, not the other way around. The dowry provided by his betrothed bought him, lock, stock, and barrel. She’ll gladly whip him into shape for the girl who ends up with him. No thanks required. In the meantime, Jillian owns him, and as every twenty-first century girl knows...ownership has its privileges.Why can’t he find a lady who is obedient, submissive...or at least not trying to kill him?After a horrible first marriage that ended badly, Sir Kellen Marshall is determined to protect what is left of his dreams. He needs an heir, an alliance, and a chaste bride who has never loved another. Would that he’d been choosier in his specifications because what he’s ended up with is a loud, bossy, demanding female who will drive him daft at every opportunity. So why does he feel he’d like to lay the world at her feet if she’d simply give him the chance?When modern meets medieval, can there be a happily ever after?# OF PAGES Approximately 440 pages. (110,000 words) OTHER BOOKS BY DIANE DARCY: Serendipity, She’s Just Right, Once in a Blue Moon, The Christmas Star, A Penny for Your Thoughts.

    When Highland Laird Jared MacLean kidnapped the daughter of his enemy and forced her to marry him, he never expected to be so enchanted with his captive bride. The young innocent stunned him with her passionate response on their wedding night, igniting a startling firestorm of pleasure that threatened to warm even his hardened heart. Is sweet Asilinn the tool to bring peace between warring clans, or an enchantress with magical powers and clairvoyant visions set on his demise? His kinsmen accuse her of witchcraft and try to kill her to protect him. One thing is sure. She will be his downfall or his destiny.

    Wounded and vulnerable, Alan encounters another injured fighter, a shaven-headed Bavarian named Hanno. But will this thuggish killer prove to be Alan's friend - or his foe? The legend continues in this short story in Angus Donald's masterly series The Outlaw Chronicles, perfect for devoted fans and newcomers alike. Also includes an extract from Warlord, the latest novel in The Outlaw Chronicles.

    Leofwin and his family are your guides through six lively, entertaining, topic-based units. New vocabulary and grammar are presented in context, step by step, so that younger readers and non-language specialists can feel engaged rather than intimidated. The author has complemented the text with a wealth of illustrations throughout. This volume is the first part of the course."

    But after his brother is nearly killed in a treacherous attack, Graham kidnaps the laird’s daughter in an act of revenge.Cameron MacDougall has devoted her life to the healing arts. She’s long rebelled against her father’s feuding ways, but when Robert Graham abducts her, she’s finds herself at the center of the dispute between their families. She expects the anger she feels, not the simmering attraction to the powerful warrior, or the love she develops for his clan.Can she stop further violence between the clans with her escape? Or will she find her surrender leads to a lasting peace and her own heart’s desire?

    The encounter sets him on a journey to confront the man who has stolen his family's titles and land. Set against the backdrop of the Albigensian crusades of the early 13th Century, this is the story of a man's search for peace in a world gone mad.

    One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay. Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life. Once John's career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He's the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he's unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king. And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie. . .

    However, in a land where even the Brotherhood of the Knights are becoming power hungry mongers, how can a young kitchen maid maintain her morals when tempted with all she’s never had? In the end, the truth is even more complicated than Mackenzie had ever imagined. Medieval Historical Fiction, Sweet, Christian, & Inspirational Romance

    In addition to highlighting the ceremonial and dramatic functions of medieval music (both sacred and secular), she pays special attention to the exchange of musical ideas, the development of musical notation and other methods of transmission, and the role of women in musical culture.Western Music in Context: A Norton History comprises six volumes of moderate length, each written in an engaging style by a recognized expert. Authoritative and current, the series examines music in the broadest sense--as sounds notated, performed, and heard--focusing not only on composers and works, but also on broader social and intellectual currents.

    It is a sweet to sensual romance story, set in a time when women had little power and fewer choices. Once a child-bride, intended to stop a blood-feud between rich and ambitious families in fourteenth century London, Isabella is now a young widow, a medieval Cinderella, tormented and blamed. Seeking always to escape her grim destiny, she can just endure it but when her beloved son Matthew is torn away from her care, spirited somewhere into the country by her malicious in-laws, Isabella is desperate. To save her son she will do anything, risk anything. Even if it means she must lose the love of her life, the handsome, brave armorer Stephen Fletcher, who catches her when she falls from a golden cage and who calls her his Mistress Angel.This book also includes long excerpts from six of the author's other medieval romance novels.Historical Note: The scene where Isabella is inside a golden cage suspended over the cobbled streets of London is based on a real event. In May 1357 Prince Edward, whom we now call The Black Prince, escorted the captured king of France through London in a glittering victory procession. Londoners flocked to see this and the London guilds vied with each other to add to the spectacle. The London goldsmiths placed twelve maidens in golden cages above the route where the princes would pass. In my novella, I make Isabella one of the maidens.Child betrothals and child brides were a part of the Middle Ages. One of the most famous is Margaret Beaufort, who was married at just twelve and who became pregnant just before her thirteenth birthday. After a long and difficult labor she gave birth to a son who as Henry Tudor would become King of England and Wales. Even at the time the early consummation of her marriage was remarked on with some censure. Margaret later was keen to ensure that her granddaughter was not sent to her betrothed the king of Scotland too young in case the king consummated the marriage at once and so injured her.

    The role of gender in the rhetoric and practice of medieval kingship is still largely unexplored by medieval historians. Discourses of masculinity informed much of the contemporary comment on fifteenth century kings, for a variety of purposes: to praise and eulogise but also to explain shortcomings and provide justification for deposition.Katherine J. Lewis examines discourses of masculinity in relation to contemporary understandings of the nature and acquisition of manhood in the period and considers the extent to which judgements of a king s performance were informed by his ability to embody the right balance of manly qualities. This book s primary concern is with how these two kings were presented, represented and perceived by those around them, but it also asks how far Henry V and Henry VI can be said to have understood the importance of personifying a particular brand of masculinity in their performance of kingship and of meeting the expectations of their subjects in this respect. It explores the extent to which their established reputations as inherently manly and unmanly kings were the product of their handling of political circumstances, but owed something to factors beyond their immediate control as well. Consideration is also given to Margaret of Anjou s manipulation of ideologies of kingship and manhood in response to her husband s incapacity, and the ramifications of this for perceptions of the relational gender identities which she and Henry VI embodied together. "Kingship and Masculinity in Late Medieval England" is an essential resource for students of gender and medieval history."

    It focuses on the evidence from excavations conducted between 1930 and 2012 and uses that evidence to explore how people used their landscapes, dwellings and material culture to effect and negotiate social, ideological and economic continuities and changes during the period AD 400–1100.

    The essays collected in this volume speak to interpretative challenges common to all fields of women's and gender history - that is, how best to uncover the experiences of ordinary people from archives formed mainly by and about elite males, and how to combine social histories of lived experiences with cultural histories of gendered discourses and identities. The collection focuses on Western Europe in the Middle Ages but offers some consideration of medieval Islam and Byzantium.The Handbook is structured into seven sections: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim thought; law in theory and practice; domestic life and material culture; labour, land, and economy; bodies and sexualities; gender and holiness; and the interplay of continuity and change throughout the medieval period. It contains material from some of the foremost scholars in this field, and it not only serves as the major reference text in medieval and gender studies, but also provides an agenda for future new research.

    As Barthold Kuijken illustrates, performers of historical music should consider what is written on the page as a mere steppingstone for performance. Only by continual examination and reexamination of the sources to discover original intent can an early music practitioner come close to authentic performance.

    Linked to kings by marriage, family, and property, queens were vital to the institution of monarchy.In this comprehensive and accessible introduction to the study of queenship, Theresa Earenfight documents the lives and works of queens and empresses across Europe, Byzantium, and the Mediterranean in the Middle Ages. The book:* introduces pivotal research and sources in queenship studies, and includes exciting and innovative new archival research* highlights four crucial moments across the full span of the Middle Ages – ca. 300, 700, 1100, and 1350 – when Christianity, education, lineage, and marriage law fundamentally altered the practice of queenship* examines theories and practices of queenship in the context of wider issues of gender, authority, and power.This is an invaluable and illuminating text for students, scholars and other readers interested in the role of royal women in medieval society.

    In this context, what had been inherited from the Romans was just as important as the adoption of new weapons and tactics in battle. "Greek fire," if not the most important of these weapons, was certainly the one that achieved the greatest fame. It was used throughout the course of the Byzantine Empire and granted resounding victories to its navy. This terrifying weapon was legendary, yet almost all we know about it and its use is clouded by the vagueness of contemporary accounts. In this work Konstantinos Karatolios attempts to answer a number of questions concerning Greek Fire: What was the formula? How effective was it? Who was its true inventor? How was it used in battles on land and at sea? This book aims not only to provide an overview of the current state of research that can be easily read by non-specialists, but also to make is own contribution to the study of the subject, respecting academic research methods.

    Canon continuation.https://archiveofourown.org/series/48322

    It began as a sobering reflection on theJews killed by the Crusaders who destroyed Jewishcommunities in the Rhineland on their way to theHoly Land. Its signature line, Yizkor ("May Godremember"), headed up the memory books in whichJews listed the names of their dead, with the ferventhope that God would remember them. Other prayersfollowed, including El malei rachamim ("God, full ofcompassion"), a response to the Chmielnicki pogromsin 1648 Ukraine. Jews in the nineteenth centuryenlarged this original set of prayers to become thelengthy and touching service that we have today.May God Remember provides the history and theideas behind this fascinating chapter in Jewish piety.The fourth volume in the Prayers of Awe series, itassembles the collective thought of thirty contributorsfrom all denominations, and from the UnitedStates, Canada, England, France, Germany and Israel.Appendices provide the Sefardi memorial prayer calledHashkavah, and a translation and annotation of theoriginal elegy for the dead in 1648 whose loss spurredthe creation of El malei rachamim, the most famousof our memorial prayers and a staple for the funeralliturgy as well. For a complete list of contributors, seewww.jewishlights.com.

    

    Compiled by Egbert of Liege, it""was planned as a first reader for beginning students. This makes it one of the few surviving works from the Middle Ages written explicitly for schoolroom use. Most of the content derives from the Bible, especially the wisdom books, from the Church Fathers, and from the ancient poets, notably Vergil, Juvenal, and Horace; but, remarkably, Egbert also included Latin versions of much folklore from the spoken languages. It features early forms of nursery rhymes (for example, "Jack Sprat"), folktales (for instance, various tales connected with Reynard the Fox), and even fairytales (notably "Little Red Riding Hood"). The poem also contains medieval versions of many still popular sayings, such as "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," "When the cat's away, the mice will play," and "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." "The Well-Laden Ship," which survives in a single medieval manuscript, has been edited previously only once (in 1889) and has never been translated. It will fascinate anyone interested in proverbial wisdom, folklore, medieval education, or medieval poetry.

    From ChaucerOCOs "Canterbury Tales "to Umberto EcoOCOs "Name of the Rose" to Dan BrownOCOs bestselling "The Da Vinci Code," the medieval period continues to intrigue, inspire, entertain, and fascinate many today.a This is a book for the general reader and specialist alike, Medieval expert, former Rosslyn Chapel museum exhibition curator, and bestselling author Dr. Karen Ralls guides the reader through the key historical facts, legends and lore, affiliated places, and major symbolism of 12 popular medieval enigmas, providing a lively introductory portal which includes some of the lesser-known, sidelined, or unacknowledged aspects of each of these enduring topics. The story of each subject comes alive as never before, providing a solid introduction for all readers as well as further suggested resources for teachers and researchers. Also included are photographs, a recommended reading section, maps, a list of the key major sites associated with each topic, and a full bibliography.Topics covered include: King Arthur, Merlin, and Glastonbury The Grail Quest Mary Magdalene The real meaning of Black Madonnas The Knights Templar, the Cathars, and Rosslyn Chapel Medieval Guides and Troubadours Heresy and Heretics"

    In the late Middle Ages it was an important and frequent event--for the nobility a gracious way to entertain guests, for the peasantry a welcome relaxation from the toils of the day. Now back in print, this collection presents compositions that are known or suspected to be instrumental dances from before ca. 1420. The forty-seven pieces vary in length and style and come from French, Italian, English, and Czech sources. Timothy McGee relates medieval dances to the descriptions found in literary, theoretical, and archival sources and to the depictions in the iconography of the Middle Ages. In a section on instrumental performance practices, he provides information about ornamenting the dances and improvising in a historically appropriate style. This comprehensive edition brings together in one volume a repertory that has been scattered over many years and countries.

    . . A broken man remembers his few moments of glory . . . an illiterate woman carries a treasure in an old saddlebag . . . So begins the story of Julana Berners, the extraordinary daughter of an ancient family, whose idyllic childhood ends with the tragic loss of her beloved father, her ancestral home, even her ability to speak. A change of fortune brings her under the care and guidance of a queen. Then she meets a poet who teaches her that the way out of darkness can be found with a sharpened quill, a full inkwell, and blank parchment. Thus are born Julyana's chronicles, through which she carries us into the adventure and achievement of her long, remarkable life. It is a life that culminates when her words are set into type . . . making Julyana Berners the first woman to have her work printed in the English language.

    With the loss of her voice and her hearing, there is little hope left for her. But when a brooding knight rescues her, she vows never to become a victim again and buries the secrets of her past in the hope that those hunting her will never find her in the Borderlands.Jake is astonished to come across the beautiful Isabel, near to death, on his brother’s lands. Bringing her back to his brother’s home, he finds himself longing for something more from the courageous woman, something that he thought he would never want again. Isabel works her way into his scarred heart and opens Jake up to loving once more. But will Isabel’s secrets destroy their bond? And with his charismatic brother, Dominic, charming her, does he even stand a chance?

    In Earth years he was now 100 years old, but had complete amnesia of his past life. One day, he received a mysterious magical message. It was from his imprisoned wife, whom he did not recognize. She said his country was in great danger, and that he needed to return home immediately; as he was the only one who could save them. Through her own great magic, she had already brought him back – at his immortal age of 20; and gives directions to his forces.A former close companion greeted him upon his arrival, along with his horse. They set off across the country to organize their resistance to the evil emperor, and to free his imprisoned wife. Along the way he collects some 19 former and new beautiful female friends, with whom he sleeps every night. All the women are well trained to fight, as they encounter one group of unusual enemy forces after another along their journey. While Rhys possesses great magical powers, after using that magic of blurring fighting power to fight off the many enemies, Rhys is completely drained to the point that he requires several days of intense sexual activity to fully recover (he never goes down!).While this story is set in medieval times, Rhys is extremely, and unusually respectful and generous to all women – even those at the lowest rungs of society. Their journey, battles, and his great many romantic encounters are fascinating to read (think Tom Jones with magic!), and will keep you awake at night! Will he free his wife, and defeat the emperor, or maybe not? This story is a modern day classic of the ancient magical era. Book II will be out in summer, 2013. Don’t miss it! Book III then follows.

    The Building of England puts into context the significance of a country’s architectural history and unearths how it is inextricably linked to the cultural past – and present.Saxon, Tudor, Georgian, Regency, even Victorian and Edwardian are all well-recognised architectural styles, displaying the influence of the events that mark each period. Thurley looks at how the architecture of England has evolved over a thousand years, uncovering the beliefs, ideas and aspirations of the people who commissioned them, built them and lived in them. He tells the fascinating story of the development of architecture and the advancements in both structural performance and aesthetic effect.Richly illustrated with over 500 drawings, photographs and maps, Simon Thurley traces the history and contemplates the future of the buildings that have made England.

    Beautiful photographs of the author's extensive and varied collection of knights provide him with an opportnity to share his knowledge of knightly lore and recount his own often humorous adventures while assembling this collection over thirty years. www.medievalknightsbook.com

    In his short reign of nine and a half years, he re-imposed the rule of law, made the crown solvent, decisively crushed heresy, achieved a momentous victory at the battle of Agincourt (1415), and negotiated a remarkably favourable settlement for the English over the French in the Treaty of Troyes (1420). Above all, he restored the reputation of the English monarchy and united the English people behind the crown following decades of upheaval and political turmoil. But who was the man behind these achievements? What explains his success? How did he acquire such a glorious reputation?The ground-breaking essays contained in this volume provide the first concerted investigation of these questions in over two decades. Contributions range broadly across the period of Henry's life, including his early years as Prince of Wales. They consider how Henry raised the money to fund his military campaigns and how his subjects responded to these financial exactions; how he secured royal authority in the localities and cultivated support within the political community; and how he consolidated his rule in France and earned for himself a reputation as the archetypal late medieval warrior king. Overall, the contributions provide new insights and a much better understanding of how Henry achieved this epithet.Gwilym Dodd is an Associate Professor in the Department of History, University of Nottingham.Contributors: Christopher Allmand, Mark Arvanigian, Michael Bennett, Anne Curry, Gwilym Dodd, Maureen Jurkowski, Alison K. McHardy, Neil Murphy, W. Mark Ormrod, Jenny Stratford, Craig Taylor.

    With Piers Plowman, the fourteenth-century poet William Langland proved that English verse could be at once spiritually electrifying and intellectually rigorous, capable of imagining society in its totality while at the same time exploring heady ideas about language, theology and culture. In her study of Piers Plowman, Emily Steiner explores how Langland's ambitious poetics emerged in dialogue with contemporary ideas; for example, about political counsel and gender, the ethics of poverty, secular and pagan learning, lordship and servitude, and the long history of Christianity. Lucid and comprehensive, Steiner's study teaches us to stay alert to the poem's stunning effects while still making sense of its literary and historical contexts.

    Written for a general educated audience as well as students and scholars in thefield, it offers an understanding of medieval literature and art that is rooted in the perceptions and feelings of ordinary life, made up of play and laughter as well as serious work.

    It is a period full of bloodthirsty battles, both between armies and individuals. With colorful personalities and sharp political twists, Strongbow's story is a fascinating one. Combining the writing style of an award-winning novelist with expert scholarship, historian Conor Kostick has written a powerful and absorbing account of the stormy affairs of an extraordinary era.

    In earlier work she has already given us scholarly yet sympathetic portrayals of English medicine, hospitals, and welfare for lepers. Now she widens her scope to public health. Her argument is clear, simple and convincing. Through the efforts of crown and civic authorities, mercantile elites and -popular- interests, English towns and cities aspired to a far healthier, less polluted environment than previously supposed. All major sources of possible infection were regulated, from sounds and smells to corrupt matter - and to immorality. Once again Professor Rawcliffe has overturned a well-established orthodoxy in the history of pre-modern health and healing. Her book is a magnificent achievement.- Peregrine Horden, Royal Holloway University of London. This first full-length study of public health in pre-Reformation England challenges a number of entrenched assumptions about the insanitary nature of urban life during -the golden age of bacteria-. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that draws on material remains as well as archives, it examines the medical, cultural and religious contexts in which ideas about the welfare of the communal body developed. Far from demonstrating indifference, ignorance or mute acceptance in the face of repeated onslaughts of epidemic disease, the rulers and residents of English towns devised sophisticated and coherent strategies for the creation of a more salubrious environment; among the plethora of initiatives whose origins often predated the Black Death can also be found measures for the improvement of the water supply, for better food standards and for the care of the sick, both rich and poor. Carole Rawcliffe is Professor of Medieval History, University of East Anglia.

    In it the author explores Julian's remarkable theology of love, the historical and biblical influences on her work, her important similarities to Eastern Orthodox spirituality, and practical implications for the spiritual seeker. Extensive quotations from her original Middle English are included, with close translations by editor Julia Bolton Holloway. This is the original study which helped give rise to "Juliana" as we know it today, and it remains the most thorough theological study of Julian's mysticism in print.

    Works by supreme practitioners—Cimabue, Duccio, Giotto, and Simone Martini—are examined here in a wider Dominican context. The contents of major foundations—Siena, Pisa, Perugia, and Santa Maria Novella in Florence—are studied alongside less well-known centers. For the first time, these frescoes and panel paintings are brought together with illuminated choir books, carved crucifixes, goldsmith's work, tombs, and stained glass. At the heart of the book is the Dominicans' evolving relationship with the laity, expressed at first by the partitioning of their churches, and subsequently by the sharing of space, and the production and use of art. Joanna Cannon's magisterial study is informed by extensive new research, using chronicles, legislation, liturgy, sermons, and other sources to explore the place of art in the lives of the friars and the urban laity of Central Italy.

    Richly illustrated and beautifully produced, the book features more than 150 authoritative and accessible articles by an international team of leading experts in history, politics, literature, anthropology, and philosophy. Organized thematically and chronologically, this indispensable reference provides critical facts and balanced context for greater historical understanding and a more informed dialogue between Jews and Muslims.Part I covers the medieval period; Part II, the early modern period through the nineteenth century, in the Ottoman Empire, Africa, Asia, and Europe; Part III, the twentieth century, including the exile of Jews from the Muslim world, Jews and Muslims in Israel, and Jewish-Muslim politics; and Part IV, intersections between Jewish and Muslim origins, philosophy, scholarship, art, ritual, and beliefs. The main articles address major topics such as the Jews of Arabia at the origin of Islam; special profiles cover important individuals and places; and excerpts from primary sources provide contemporary views on historical events.Contributors include Mark R. Cohen, Alain Dieckhoff, Michael Laskier, Vera Moreen, Gordon D. Newby, Marina Rustow, Daniel Schroeter, Kirsten Schulze, Mark Tessler, John Tolan, Gilles Veinstein, and many more.Covers the history of relations between Jews and Muslims around the world from the birth of Islam to todayWritten by an international team of leading scholarsFeatures in-depth articles on social, political, and cultural historyIncludes profiles of important people (Eliyahu Capsali, Joseph Nasi, Mohammed V, Martin Buber, Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin, Edward Said, Messali Hadj, Mahmoud Darwish) and places (Jerusalem, Alexandria, Baghdad)Presents passages from essential documents of each historical period, such as the Cairo Geniza, Al-Sira, and Judeo-Persian illuminated manuscriptsRichly illustrated with more than 250 images, including maps and color photographsIncludes extensive cross-references, bibliographies, and an index

    While crusading against the Saracen, on Outremer (The Holy Land) he had been taken captive, and only released after a ransom of 10,000 marks was paid by the wily old Earl.Now he has no option but to return to Outremer and try to retrieve a relic of such great spiritual and financial value; his 10,000 marks will seem like chicken feed. However it is by no means sure that the relic does actually exist; or indeed if the present owner will part with it.Although William had hoped to keep the mission secret, the Knights Templar have got wind of it, and they have decided to bankroll his attempts to acquire it if possible. However other factions have also heard the rumour, and are hell bent on snatching the priceless relic for themselves.Bloody murder, and the schemes and plans of men, ensure that this first adventure of Sir Williams will test your imagination, and your knowledge of 12th century crusader history!

    This book, "A history of Germany," by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, is a replication of a book originally published before 1913. It has been restored by human beings, page by page, so that you may enjoy it in a form as close to the original as possible.

    As Bednarski points out, the story is important not so much for what it tells us about Margarida but for how it illuminates a past world. Through the depositions and accusations made in court, the reader learns much about medieval women, female agency, kin networks, solidarity, sex, sickness, medicine, and law. Unlike most histories, this book does not remove the author from the analysis. Rather, it lays bare the working methods of the historian. Throughout his tale, Bednarski skillfully weaves a second narrative about how historians "do" history, highlighting the rewards and pitfalls of working with primary sources.The book opens with a chapter on microhistory as a genre and explains its strengths, weaknesses, and inherent risks. Next is a narrative of Margarida's criminal trial, followed by chapters on the civil suits and appeal and Margarida's eventual fate. The book features a rough copy of a court notary, a notorial act, and a sample of a criminal inquest record in the original Latin. A timeline of Margarida's life, list of characters, and two family trees provide useful information on key people in the story. A map of late medieval Manosque is also provided.

    It was almost 400 years old when the Domesday Book was compiled, 500 years old when Magna Carta was witnessed, and over 700 years old when Gutenberg invented movable type.It was written and decorated at the end of the 7th century by the monk Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698 and died in 721. Its original leather binding, long since lost, was made by Ethelwald, who succeeded Eadfrith as bishop, and was decorated with jewels and precious metals later in the 8th century by Billfrith the Anchorite.The Latin text of the Gospels is translated word by word in an Old English gloss, the earliest surviving example of the Gospel text in any form of the English language, it was added between the lines in the mid 10th century by Aldred, Provost of Chester-le-Street. Today the manuscript is once again bound in silver and jewels, in covers made in 1852 at the expense of Edward Maltby, Bishop of Durham. The design is based on motifs drawn from the decoration of the manuscript itself.This is an eBookTreasures edition which includes 39 pages from the manuscript and interpretation on all openings.

    

    The situation in Castile, however, could not have been more different. Prior to the final decades of the fifteenth century, individual relationships to Christ established through the use of "personalized" Passion imagery simply do not appear to have been a component of Castilian devotional culture.In Imagining the Passion in a Multiconfessional Castile, Cynthia Robinson argues that it is necessary to reorient discussions of late medieval religious art produced and used in Castile, placing Iberian devotional art in the context of Iberian devotional practice. Instead of focusing on the segregation of the religious lives of members of late medieval Iberia's much-discussed "Three Confessions" (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), Robinson offers concrete evidence of the profound impact of each sect on the other two.Imagining the Passion in a Multiconfessional Castile ranges across traditional disciplinary and cultural divides. Robinson considers altarpieces that differ radically from their European contemporaries; architectural ornament; a rare series of narratives of Christ's life; indulgenced prayers; Muslim and Jewish mystical texts; lives, hours, devotions, and Psalters of and to the Virgin which appear to be uniquely Iberian and find resonances in both Hebrew and Arabic mystical literature; sacred gardens and trees in both textual and visual culture from Muslim, Christian, and Jewish contexts; and preaching manuals written by converted Jews. Together, these texts and images offer striking evidence of the plurality of late medieval Iberian religious life, both within the supposed boundaries of a specific religion and in terms of each culture's relationship with the other.

    In 1985, UNESCO designated St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church in Hildesheim a world cultural heritage site, recognizing them as monuments of medieval art with exceptionally rich treasures. Despite its significance, Hildesheim’s incomparable collection of medieval church furnishings is little known outside of Germany. This book provides the first comprehensive examination in English of the city’s treasures, its leading role in the art of the Middle Ages, and its churches’ history of commissioning and collecting outstanding objects. Highlighting fifty precious and rare works, this book beautifully illustrates some of the great masterpieces of medieval church art.

    A Deadly Art presents a lively, accessible survey of the crossbow’s “golden age,” along with detailed descriptions of twenty-four remarkable examples. Beginning in the middle ages, the European aristocracy’s enthusiasm for the crossbow heralded shooting competitions and pageants that featured elaborately decorated weapons bearing elegant embellishments of rare materials and prized artistry. In addition to being highly functional, these weapons were magnificent works of art. A Deadly Art includes fascinating descriptions of crossbows used by Margaret of Savoy and Holy Roman Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V, among others.

    During these centuries radical changes occurred in the organisation of the rural world. Towns and complex communities of artisans and merchant-traders emerged and networks of contact between northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle and Far East were redefined, with long-lasting consequences into the present day. Loveluck provides the most comprehensive comparative analysis of the rural and urban archaeological remains in this area for twenty-five years. Supported by evidence from architecture, relics, manuscript illuminations and texts, this book explains how the power and intentions of elites were confronted by the aspirations and actions of the diverse rural peasantry, artisans and merchants, producing both intended and unforeseen social changes.

    King Olaf Trygvesson is dead, but his sisters husband, Erling Skjalgsson, carries on his dream of a Christian Norway that preserves its traditional freedoms. Rather than do a dishonorable deed, Erling relinquishes his power and lands. He and his household board ships and sail west to find a new life with Leif Eriksson in Greenland. This voyage, though, will be longer and more dangerous than they ever imagined. It will take them to an unexplored country few Europeans had seen. Demonic forces will pursue them, but the greatest danger of all may be in a dark secret carried by Father Aillil, Erlings Irish priest.

    In the tradition of Alex Haley's Roots, Dracula's Bloodline relates a multi-generational saga through the prism of one family's narrative, from medieval Eastern Europe to the post-Communist era. The book provides an inside look at Romania's bloody and turbulent history-a mostly untold narrative that embraces the cruel Ottoman invasions, vying boyars seeking to change the political order at home, and the toppling of the Ceausescu regime. The story of each century is told through the eyes of one Florescu (or more) who had a unique perch from which to view his or her contemporary society. Florescu and Cazacu drew on research that had mostly been kept in family hands. To track the Florescu footprint down through the centuries since the 1400s, they used many sources: the Brasov archives in Transylvania, select letters, unpublished diaries, and extensive family documents that have been scattered from Europe to the United States. This fully indexed book offers many photographs from family archives, as well as a glossary of terms and titles, and a full genealogy showing the Florescu's family links to Vlad Tepes.

    In The Saint and the Chopped-Up Baby, Laura Ackerman Smoller recounts the fascinating story of how Vincent became the subject of widespread devotion, ranging from the saint's tomb in Brittany to cult centers in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and Latin America, where Vincent is still venerated today. Along the way, Smoller traces the long and sometimes contentious process of establishing a stable image of a new saint.Vincent came to be epitomized by a singularly arresting miracle tale in which a mother kills, chops up, and cooks her own baby, only to have the child restored to life by the saint's intercession. This miracle became a key emblem in the official portrayal of the saint promoted by the papal court and the Dominican order, still haunted by the memory of the Great Schism (1378-1414) that had rent the Catholic Church for nearly forty years. Vincent, however, proved to be a potent religious symbol for others whose agendas did not necessarily align with those of Rome. Whether shoring up the political legitimacy of Breton or Aragonese rulers, proclaiming a new plague saint, or trumpeting their own holiness, individuals imposed their own meanings on the Dominican saint.Drawing on nuanced readings of canonization inquests, hagiography, liturgical sources, art, and devotional materials, Smoller tracks these various appropriations from the time of Vincent's 1455 canonization through the eve of the Enlightenment. In the process, she brings to life a long, raucous discussion ranging over many centuries. The Saint and the Chopped-Up Baby restores the voices of that conversation in all its complexity.

    Further, the books shows how this unlikely combination of island and mainland territory survived as a single lordship for 600 years, against the odds. Growing out of the Viking maelstrom of the early Middle Ages, it became an established and wealthy principality which dominated northern waters, with a renowned dynasty of earls. How they maintained their independence and how they survived the clash of loyalties are themes fully explored in this book, from the early Viking age to the late medieval era when the powerful feudal Sinclair earls ruled the islands and regained possession of Caithness.

    Newman convincingly and with great clarity demonstrates the widespread applicability of the crossover concept as an analytical tool, examining some very disparate works.These include French and English romances about Lancelot and the Grail; the mystical writing of Marguerite Porete (placed in the context of lay spirituality, lyric traditions, and the Romance of the Rose); multiple examples of parody (sexually obscene, shockingly anti-Semitic, or cleverly litigious); and René of Anjou's two allegorical dream visions. Some of these texts are scarcely known to medievalists; others are rarely studied together. Newman's originality in her choice of these primary works will inspire new questions and set in motion new fields of exploration for medievalists working in a large variety of disciplines, including literature, religious studies, history, and cultural studies. "As Barbara Newman points out, in the wake of the bruising debates about 'Robertsonianism,' scholars preferred to focus on different kinds of questions, but the work produced during the intervening decades can now fruitfully inform a return, with a somewhat different orientation, to the thorny questions of how the sacred and the secular interact in medieval literary texts, and indeed how and to what extent these categories functioned within medieval cultural imagination. Newman's book tackles these questions head-on in a variety of texts, and is sure to stimulate further research in this area." —Sylvia Huot, University of Cambridge"In Medieval Crossover, Barbara Newman highlights the ways in which the premodern reader understood 'sacred' and 'secular' not as opposing points on a continuum but as what Newman calls a state of 'double judgment,' where transcendent truths could be understood through paradox or hermeneutic inversion. Exquisitely written, grounded in thoughtful readings of some of the most enigmatic texts of the Middle Ages, Medieval Crossover charts a new course in our understanding of premodern modes of interpretation." —Suzanne Conklin Akbari, University of Toronto "This outstanding piece of scholarship makes an original contribution to the fields of medieval studies in general as well as more specifically to the study of medieval English and French, or better, francophone literature produced either on the continent or in England. Medievalists working in a large variety of disciplines—historical, sociological, religious, as well as cultural and literary—will find this book of great interest. The general argument for both is completely convincing: specialists as well as general readers of medieval works need to learn about and practice double judgment, and Newman's book gives them wonderful examples of how to do so and what is at stake in the process." —Matilda Tomaryn Bruckner, Boston College

    The text focuses on the characteristics and rites associated with the cult, as opposed to the more frequently discussed mythology associated with Woden. Questions are posed regarding the organisational structure of the cult and the places in which it was practiced. An authorial introduction and extensive textual notes are also provided. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Germanic paganism and pre-Christian religion.

    Here is the original Merlin - a mysterious and mad character inspired by ancient Welsh legends. But he is also a king, a prophet, and a modern Renaissance man. This brand-new translation casts Geoffrey's Latin into accessible English hexameter verse, giving readers a feel for the rhythms of the original. The extensive introduction sets the poem in the context of Geoffrey's life and writings, while each chapter opens with helpful background material. Turn back the pages of time and discover the mythical, magical world of the original Merlin.

    But how and why did he achieve such heights? This biographical study of aristocratic social and geographical mobility in the 'Age of the Crusades' reassesses John's fascinating life, and explores how families and dynasticism, politics, intrigue, religion and war all contributed to John's unprecedented career. John was a major figure in the history of the thirteenth-century Mediterranean, and yet very much a product of the workings of the society of his day. This book reveals how John's life, and its multifarious connections to France, Italy, the German empire and the papacy, can illuminate the broad panorama of the early thirteenth-century world, and the zenith of the crusading movement.

    As Imam and Caliph, the Fatimid sovereign claimed to inherit the religious and political authority of the Prophet, a claim which inspired the conquest of North Africa and Egypt and a following of believers as far away as India. The reaction this provoked was crucial to the political and religious evolution of mediaeval Islam. This book combines the separate histories of Isma'ilism, North Africa and Egypt with that of the dynasty into a coherent account. It then relates this account to the wider history of Islam to provide a narrative that establishes the historical significance of the empire.

    The 1300s are a time of pestilence and unease, plagued not just by disease but by demons and the restless dead. Yolande wanders England and Wales, armed with her blessed bow and sacred herbs, laying the spirits to rest and driving the demons away. She's bound to serve for a time of seven-though she knows not what that means. Geraint the Welshman travels the countryside, juggling and tumbling to earn his keep. When he meets Yolande, he's caught by her fierce yet sweet nature and vows to stay by her side. As they journey closer to Yolande's final trial and face foes ever more cunning and dangerous, Geraint and Yolande have only their mutual love and trust to help them survive. Inside Scoop: Yolande and Geraint live in a medieval world dominated by Catholicism and mistrust for an interracial couple-Geraint is Welsh and Yolande is half Ethiopian. A Blush(r) paranormal romance from Ellora's Ca

    When they are unable to fend off the invading army, the leader of their enemies claims Christiana was promised to him as his wife, along with her home and her family's lands. Betrothed to another, she fights him, but finds herself married quickly.Roland joined William of Normandy for the potential to become a land owner. A second son, he knows the only way he will ever own anything is by joining forces with the powerful ruler. He's told there are three sister witches defending their home and the oldest is his promised bride. Both Christiana and Roland are used to being in charge. Will the sisters be able to fight off the coming evil to fulfill their destiny? Is it possible for two headstrong people from different cultures to find a way to live as husband and wife?

    After a five-year legal ordeal that took place in Prague, in the papal curia, and finally in southern Germany, the case of Jan Hus was heard by one of the largest and most magnificent church gatherings in medieval history: the Council of Constance. Before a huge audience, Hus was burned alive as a stubborn and disobedient heretic. His trial sparked intense reactions and opinions ranging from satisfaction to accusations of judicial murder.Thomas A. Fudge offers the first English-language examination of the indictment, relevant canon law, and questions of procedural legality. In the modern world, there is instinctive sympathy for a man burned alive for his convictions, and it is presumed that any court that sanctioned such an action must have been irregular. Was Hus guilty of heresy? Were his doctrinal convictions contrary to established ideas espoused by the Latin Church? Was his trial legal? Despite its historical significance and the controversy it provoked, the trial of Jan Hus has never before been the subject of a thorough legal analysis or assessed against prevailing canonical legislation and procedural law in the later Middle Ages.The Trial of Jan Hus shows how this popular and successful priest became a criminal suspect and a convicted felon, and why he was publicly executed, providing critical insight into what may have been the most significant heresy trial of the Middle Ages.

    The essays presented here, by art historians, numismatists, sigillographers, and historians on a wide variety of coins and seals, afford fresh insight into these tantalizing relics of medieval art and the vibrant cultural roles they played at the time of their creation. Through their images and inscriptions, they conveyed complex cultural attitudes by means of sophisticated visual strategies carefully constructed to further the subjective agendas of rulers and -- in the case of seals -- of aristocrats, ordinary individuals, towns, corporations, and government officials. The messages conveyed by these tightly controlled objects were, above all, ones of authority, identity, and legitimacy, with goals or subtexts that included the politics of self- presentation; the construction of personal, civic, national and cultural identity; the advertisement of dynastic succession; and much more. As forceful modes of visual discourse designed to carry calculated, at times propagandistic, communications to broadly dispersed audiences, coins and seals actively served during these centuries as sociocultural agents that helped mold public opinion (as they had in antiquity), and thereby shaped the medieval world.

    Whilst his popular image is firmly associated with his appetites - sexual and gastronomic - scholars have long recognized that his reign also ushered in profound changes to English society and culture, the legacy of which endure to this day. To help take stock of such a multifaceted and contested history, this volume presents a collection of 17 essays that showcase the very latest thinking and research on Henry and his court. Divided into seven parts, the book highlights how the political, religious and cultural aspects of Henry's reign came together to create a one of the most significant and transformative periods of English history. The volume is genuinely interdisciplinary, drawing on literature, art history, architecture and drama to enrich our knowledge. The first part is a powerful and personal account by Professor George W. Bernard of his experience of writing about Henry and his reign. The next parts - Material Culture and Images - reflect a historical concern with non-documentary evidence, exploring how objects, collections, paintings and buildings can provide unrivalled insight into the world of the Tudor court. The parts on Court Culture and Performance explore the literary and theatrical world and the performative aspects of court life, looking at how the Tudor court attempted to present itself to the world, as well as how it was represented by others. The part on Reactions focuses upon the political and religious currents stirred up by Henry's policies, and how they in turn came to influence his actions. Through this wide-ranging, yet thematically coherent approach, a fascinating window is opened into the world of Henry VIII and his court. In particular, building on research undertaken over the last ten years, a number of contributors focus on topics that have been neglected by traditional historical writing, for example gender, graffiti and clothing. With contributions from many of the leading scholars of Tudor England, the collection offers not only a snapshot of the latest historical thinking, but also provides a starting point for future research into the world of this colourful, but often misrepresented monarch.

    One chapter of this work, "On Signs," is the most comprehensive and innovative treatise on semiotics in the thirteenth century. To understand the myriad ways in which things and words signify, Bacon says, is "a thing of marvelous usefulness and beauty."

    Religious and secular officials alike harnessed the power of testimony to assert doctrinal, political, or legal responsibilities. Swearing an oath, testifying in court, and signing a deposition were common ways to shape and discipline both devotional and legal communities. In Fictions of Evidence: Witnessing, Literature, and Community in the Late Middle Ages, Jamie K. Taylor traces depictions of witnessing in a wide range of late medieval texts and shows how witnessing practices formed and reformed, policed and challenged medieval communities. Through close study of texts like the Man of Law’s Tale and Piers Plowman alongside sermon exempla, common law statutes, and pastoral treatises, Fictions of Evidence argues that vernacular literature was a vital site of criticism and dissent. It shows that devotional and legal witnessing practices offered medieval writers a distinct vocabulary they could use to expose how the ethical and legal obligations to one’s community were constructed. And since vernacular writers often challenged the ways ecclesiastical or secular authorities asserted community bonds, they found they could use those same witnessing practices and language to imagine extra-legal or extra-ecclesiastical communities that followed different ethical codes.

    

    With this 3-books-in-1 bind-up of VeggieTales I Can Reads, emergent readers will not only practice their reading skills using the proven success of the I Can Read program, with its age-appropriate vocabulary and concepts but they will be learning about and growing in their faith with the help of their VeggieTales friends!In this new hardcover book, great for gift-giving and family sharing, readers will learn more from Bob, Larry, and other friends such as Princess Petunia, Junior Asparagus, and Lyle!Three titles included:Princess Petunia and the Good Knight ISBN: 9780310732068Junior Battles to Be His Best ISBN: 9780310727323What’s Up With Lyle? ISBN: 9780310721604

    Although the word did not exist then, many of the experiences disabled people might have today can already be traced back to medieval social institutions and cultural attitudes.This volume informs our knowledge of the topic by investigating the impact medieval laws had on the social position of disabled people, and conversely, how people might become disabled through judicial actions; ideas of work and how work could both cause disability through industrial accidents but also provide continued ability to earn a living through occupational support networks; the disabling effects of old age and associated physical deteriorations; and the changing nature of attitudes towards welfare provision for the disabled and the ambivalent role of medieval institutions and charity in the support and care of disabled people.

    It is the story of a king’s champion, who, after witnessing the tragic death of the woman he loved, and being stripped of the role to which he had dedicated his life, still, somehow, finds the will and the strength to pick himself up, and re-build his life; and, in the process, carry a king to victory on the battlefields of France. Set in the early fifteenth century, in the last days of the Age of Chivalry, this gripping work of historical fiction, woven into the factual events of the time, delves into the pain and suffering associated with loss, illustrating the ongoing struggle between the overwhelming desire to retreat into the world which has been lost, and the pressing need to find a way to move forward again. ‘Knight’ is breathtaking in its scope, exquisite in its tenderness, and uplifting in its refusal to fall into despair. It is a story of love and honour, truth and valour. But, above all, it is a book of hope, written by an author who has made the journey.